Yakubu Dogara, Speaker of the House of Representatives and the leader of the Senate, Senator Ahmad Lawan on Wednesday showered encomium on President Muhammadu Buhari over the release of 101 female students abducted from their school in Dapchi, Yobe State.
Dogara in a statement issued in Abuja, noted that the President’s efforts to ensure that the girls were freed from captivity has yielded results with the hope of ending years of violent insurgency in the North East geopolitical zone.
He, however, called for proactive steps to be taken to forestall a reoccurrence of the incident by security agencies.
“We must remind all those concerned that mass abduction of innocent schoolgirls should never have been allowed to happen in the first place. While we await the outcome of the investigation by the House Ad hoc Committee, the House of Representatives will not accept any further excuses or buck passing between the various security agencies.
The Speaker noted that intelligence gathering must be strengthened to prevent attacks before they occur.
While commiserating with the released girls, their parents and families for the ordeal they went through, Dogara reiterated the resolve of the House of Representatives towards promoting security of lives and properties of Nigerians working in concert with the Executive.
He also added that efforts should be intensified to free the remaining Dapchi and Chibok schoolgirls and indeed all those in captivity.
On his part, the Senate Leader applauded the gallantry efforts of President Buhari and the authorities of the security agencies who were instrumental to the release of the abducted school girls.
While acknowledging the unprecedented leadership provided by President Buhari in combating insurgency, Senator Lawan called for support from all stakeholders including developed countries to synergize in tackling insurgency.
He also prayed for the release of some of the school girls who are yet to secure their freedom from the abductors, just as he commiserate with families of those who were reportedly dead during the abduction.
KEHINDE AKINTOLA, Abuja
